1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with an improved hazard suppression assembly of the type including a tank containing a pressurized hazard suppression material such as a fire extinguishant. More particularly, it is concerned with such an assembly which is especially designed for extremely rapid, horizontal discharge of material into a zone to be protected, and with complete elimination of large, bulky delivery pipes usually associated with equipment of this type. The invention finds utility in suppressing explosions in dust environments and in a wide variety of other contexts, such as in vapor or liquid processes.
Actual tests confirm that effective discharge time of the assembly in accordance with the present invention is measurably faster than that of prior conventional devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, a number of government regulations have been promulgated which severely restrict the amount of dust and the like which can be lawfully emitted into the atmosphere. As a consequence of these regulations, there has been a large increase in the use of dust collecting equipment, such as cyclone-type separators and bag houses. Such dust collection equipment may be employed to collect mill dust, as an adjunct to foundry operations, and in a wide variety of other industrial applications where dust is a potential problem.
Of course, the increase in the use of bag houses and other dust collection equipment has correspondingly increased the risk of fire and/or explosion inherent in dust collection. Accordingly, users of such equipment have resorted to a number of expedients in order to prevent catastrophic fires and explosions.
One such unit in prior use is a vertical discharge tank normally filled with a fire suppressant such as Halon 1301. A short outlet pipe is affixed to the tank, and is equipped with a normally flow-blocking, selectively rupturable disc. An appropriate sensor is operatively coupled with an explosive device positioned within the outlet pipe in order to rupture the disc when hazardous conditions are sensed.
While devices of this type have proven to be extremely effective when vertical discharge is required, attempts at using the same in the context of a horizontal discharge device have proven less than optimum. Normally, in order to obtain horizontal discharge, an elongated, arcuate elbow is operatively coupled to the tank discharge pipe downstream of the rupture disc. After the rupture disc is activated, the extinguishant must fill the large volume of the downstream elbow and then be dispersed through a nozzle. This filling of the elbow with extinguishant reduces the accumulated agent dispersal pressure, reduces agent dispersal velocity, and wastes valuable time which is needed for optimum explosion suppression. In addition, the added weight of the downstream elbow requires considerable bracing to be added to the overall structure, and the cost of the latter is therefore significantly increased.